The Way of Perseverance

Product Review: The Zones of Regulation

Product Introduction

Does your child have difficulty?

• Making or keeping friends
• Transitioning from one task or environment to another (going from home to school or from one classroom to another)
• Handling frustration (like when losing at a game)
• Behaving appropriately in different situations/environments (speaking quietly in a library versus using his “outside voice” on the playground)

Many children on that exhibit Autism Spectrum, Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), or Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), have trouble regulating emotions. or who have experienced trauma exhibit problems managing their emotions making it tough to fit into a group socially.   

The first comment I received about my oldest son’s temperament came when he was about 6 months old.  His paternal grandfather lovingly held him in his arms and observed “Joel sure has a quick temper.”   I have commented one thousand times (ok, that may a slight exaggeration) that “whatever Joel thought, he did.  Whatever he thought, he said.  He had no governor on his mouth or his hands.” 

My first call from a teacher regarding his behavior in class came the first week into kindergarten.  She reported he never did anything bad-he just didn’t do what she wanted him to do, when she needed him to do it.  He was the poster child for impulsivity.  She was a fine and caring teacher seeking strategies for him to be successful in class.  I had none.

Years later came across something that would have been beneficial for helping him manage his impulses.  It did prove useful for my third son on the Autism Spectrum.   I worked as a Speech-Language Pathologist in a public school.  This curriculum also proved useful for preparing the students on my caseload for participation in their speech therapy session and for use by the parents at home.

In my search for researched-based methods to teach social/emotional skills to both my sons and my students, I came across a curriculum called The Zones of Regulation.

Zones of Regulation Overview

This curriculum was developed by an Occupational Therapist named Leah Kuypers.  She worked in several large school districts serving students dealing with autism and other attention and mental health issues.  Their inability to regulate their emotions revealed itself in verbal and physical outburst, attention to and concentration in tasks, difficulty making friends, and frequent disciplinary actions. 

She developed the framework for teaching the recognition of various emotional states and tools to manage those emotions.  The goal of explicitly and systematically teaching self-regulation was to lessen missed teaching opportunities and need for discipline and improve peer relationships. 

The curriculum was based on such researched based elements such as neuroscience and cognition, executive functioning, sensory integration, social/emotional regulation, child development, and co-regulation.

The first book was published by Thinking Social Publishing in 2011.  The Zones of Regulation Digital Curriculum was launched in 2024 based on new research, updated language, new visuals, expanded instructional resources and related companion materials.

The website offers the following description of their curriculum:

“The Zones of Regulation curriculum is “the only comprehensive framework specifically designed to foster well-being by helping individuals understand and manage their emotions, behaviors, and sensory needs. The Zones of Regulation® empowers everyone — from learners to educators, therapists, and families — with tools to improve self-regulation and thrive together.

The starting point of this curriculum is labeling describing four zones of emotional a person could be in. From this point on, the goal is to for the child to identify which zone he/she is in, determine which zone is appropriate for the given situation and use learned “tools” to manage the social and emotional requisite for the situation.

So What is Social/Emotional Regulation and Executive Functioning?

What is this thing that wreaks havoc in the lives of some children, parents, and teachers?

Emotion regulation is a person’s ability to control their emotions, manage their behavior, and appropriately satisfy their sensory needs. 

It goes by other names such as “impulse control”, “self-control”, or “emotional control”.

Infants have no emotional regulation. Whatever they feel, whether it be hunger or discomfort, you hear about through their crying.  They rely heavily on the parents and caregivers to help them regain their composure after becoming distraught.

This dependence on the parents and caregivers diminishes as the child grows and learns.  Parental guidance, observing others managing emotions, and the natural consequences of not behaving appropriately all play into the natural development of self-regulation.

Neurotypical children begin the development of this skill when they are toddlers.  By the age of 8 or 9, children have a good grasp on regulating their emotions.

The developers of the curriculum explain the foundations of their curriculum.  Specifically, how emotional regulation and executive functioning work, why it is important for flourishing as a human being, and why it is important to learning as follows.

How Social/Emotional Regulation Works

“We can regulate in one of two ways, self-regulation, or co-regulation. Self-regulation is independently managing feelings and states to attain goals (whether personal, social, or academic/professional), meet the demands of their situation, and support a sense of well-being.  Co-regulation is the process of connecting, or being attuned, with a social partner for support in attaining goals, meeting demands, and supporting a sense of well-being. Co-regulation is something we can both provide as well as receive. To understand the difference, let’s consider the following example: A student in the classroom is feeling frustrated trying to solve a math equation.

Self-regulation: Arjun independently works through his feelings of frustration and finds a strategy (commonly referred to as “regulation tool”) that allows him to complete the equation. He takes a couple deep breaths and uses positive self-talk (“I can do this. I’m going to take some deep breaths and try again.”) to guide him through the work.

Co-regulation: Daniella raises her hand and with a heavy sigh shares her frustration with her teacher, “I don’t get this.” The teacher, attuned to Daniella’s feelings, supports her well-being by offering encouragement and providing further teaching to help clear up any confusion.

As our metacognitive thinking skills develop, we become more skilled at self-regulation, but even as adults we co-regulate. Have you ever vented to a colleague about a work situation that is frustrating you, or leaning on a loved one for a hug and pep talk when you’re feeling sad? We all need co-regulation with and from others for support. At The Zones of Regulation, we gravitate to using the broader term “regulate/regulation,” (rather than self or co-regulation) because it best captures the fluidity between the ways we all experience regulation.

MYTH: Regulation looks like a “calm” body.

REALITY: Regulation can look lots of different ways, and takes into account our situation, task/job, and goals. Regulation might look like someone pumping themselves up for a big event, such as swimmer Michael Phelps swinging his arms and hitting his shoulder before a race. It can look like someone pacing or flapping while listening or controlling our impulses during a triggering event. There is no one way that regulation looks!

Expect Break Downs in Social/Emotional Regulation

Expect Dysregulation 

As we build regulation competencies within ourselves and our learners, it’s important to keep in mind that no one regulates perfectly. All of us will inevitably have times when we struggle to regulate, which is dysregulation. For example, who hasn’t stayed up way too late watching a movie when you know you need to wake up early, had your anxiety and/or stress impact your productivity at work by ruminating on a problem, or sent that email in the heat of the moment instead of waiting to push “send.”

As we build our emotional awareness and regulation skills, we gain a deeper understanding of what is happening in the moments when our regulation is not quite working for us. This awareness helps us to grow in our regulation, and to move on with more ease. Make sure to give yourself, as well as your learners, grace when dysregulation occurs – it is expected!”

Why is Self-Regulation important?

If your child’s teacher calls you often about your child’s behavior in class, you know.

If you have been embarressed by your child’s behavior, you know.

If you must leave social situations or avoid certain social situations, you know.

If you or your pet is your child’s only friend, you know.

The developers of The Zones of Regulation explain it well.

“Your ability to regulate your emotional, physical, and energy states is critical for being able to work toward your goals. Regulation is key to having fun, completing tasks, working effectively on a team, maintaining healthy and meaningful relationships, achieving academically and in your career, navigating the community, and having an overall sense of well-being. It plays a huge role in finding success in school and in life.”

What relationship does it have with academics?

“Developing self-regulation is foundational for learning and lifelong well-being.

Learners of all ages are expected to manage emotions, pay attention, and recover from challenges. These skills, however, need to be taught and reinforced. Without direct instruction, many struggle to identify how they feel or what to do when stressed or dysregulated, resulting in frustration or disengagement from learning.”

The purpose of the Zones of Regulation is to offer a curriculum to teach the concept of and ways to develop self-regulation.

The ability to self-regulate is inextricably embedded in a cognitive function called executive functioning.  The developers of the curriculum relate how their framework utilizes scientifically based concepts of executive functioning in the vocabulary and tools taught.”

What is Executive Functioning?

Their website offers a comprehensive and useful description and why development of these skills for managing day to day living.

“Sometimes referred to as cognitive control, executive functioning (EF) is a general term that describes the cognitive processes involved in the conscious control of thoughts and actions that help us accomplish our goals. In other words, it’s the thinking behind the doing that takes place in the pre-frontal cortex located in the “upstairs brain” responsible for more complex thought. Executive functioning is like a command or control center, the ‘CEO’ of our brains, that oversees our behavior and mental operations.

Key Cognitive Processes in Executive Functioning

Numerous mental operations fall under EF. Some that are influential in developing more metacognitive self-regulatory capacity are:

• Working memory: Accessing, updating, and purging “information files” in the brain. This helps us use past experiences to guide our thinking, actions, and reactions.
• Inner speech: Using self-talk, interpersonal dialogues, and reflection.
• Flexibility: Considering multiple options and applying different rules in different settings.
• Planning: Organizing actions and executing a plan to reach desired goals.
• Response inhibition: Setting priorities, motivation, and resisting impulses.
• Attention shifting: Attending two or more activities simultaneously, such as taking notes while listening to a lecture.
• Goal-directed persistence: Working toward a goal despite hurdles and distractions.
• Problem solving: Brainstorming solutions and identifying the best option.

Development of Executive Functions

Peg Dawson and Richard Guare, experts in EF and authors of Executive Functioning Skills in Children and Adolescents 3rd Ed. (2018) points out, “these skills, which are at the heart of self-regulation and self-control, unfold over time and continue to develop well into adolescence and early adulthood.”  As these executive functions develop, learners become better equipped for the metacognitive thinking and problem solving necessary to overcome the challenges they meet and better equipped to regulate the emotions they experience.

For example, consider a 3rd grader, who often responds to school stressors, such as challenging work or a redirection by a teacher, with an impulsive swiping of the contents off their table or desk. Perhaps their self-talk was defeating: “I’m so stupid.” Then, over the course of the school year, their teacher actively supports them to understand that their self-talk wasn’t helping and taught them to replace it with a more nurturing voice, “this is hard, I can take a break” (using inner speech). Over time and with frequency, this learner can be taught to develop new metacognitive strategies to help catch and override the impulse to swipe the table clear when frustrated (response inhibition).

Through exploration and with practice, nearly all learners can become more skilled in accessing and using regulation tools (requiring problem solving, planning and goal-directed persistence) to manage their feelings.”

Building Executive Functioning Skills with the Zones of Regulation

Their website offers a comprehensive and useful description and why development of these skills for managing day to day living.

“Sometimes referred to as cognitive control, executive functioning (EF) is a general term that describes the cognitive processes involved in the conscious control of thoughts and actions that help us accomplish our goals. In other words, it’s the thinking behind the doing that takes place in the pre-frontal cortex located in the “upstairs brain” responsible for more complex thought. Executive functioning is like a command or control center, the ‘CEO’ of our brains, that oversees our behavior and mental operations.”

Key Cognitive Processes in Executive Functioning

Numerous mental operations fall under EF. Some that are influential in developing more metacognitive self-regulatory capacity are:

• Working memory: Accessing, updating, and purging “information files” in the brain. This helps us use past experiences to guide our thinking, actions, and reactions.
• Inner speech: Using self-talk, interpersonal dialogues, and reflection.
• Flexibility: Considering multiple options and applying different rules in different settings
• Planning: Organizing actions and executing a plan to reach desired goals.
• Response inhibition: Setting priorities, motivation, and resisting impulses.
• Attention shifting: Attending two or more activities simultaneously, such as taking notes while listening to a lecture.
• Goal-directed persistence: Working toward a goal despite hurdles and distractions.
• Problem solving: Brainstorming solutions and identifying the best option.

Development of Executive Functions

“Peg Dawson and Richard Guare, experts in EF and authors of Executive Functioning Skills in Children and Adolescents 3rd Ed. (2018) points out, “these skills, which are at the heart of self-regulation and self-control, unfold over time and continue to develop well into adolescence and early adulthood.”  As these executive functions develop, learners become better equipped for the metacognitive thinking and problem solving necessary to overcome the challenges they meet and better equipped to regulate the emotions they experience.

For example, consider a 3rd grader, who often responds to school stressors, such as challenging work or a redirection by a teacher, with an impulsive swiping of the contents off their table or desk. Perhaps their self-talk was defeating: “I’m so stupid.” Then, over the course of the school year, their teacher actively supports them to understand that their self-talk wasn’t helping and taught them to replace it with a more nurturing voice, “this is hard, I can take a break” (using inner speech). Over time and with frequency, this learner can be taught to develop new metacognitive strategies to help catch and override the impulse to swipe the table clear when frustrated (response inhibition).

Through exploration and with practice, nearly all learners can become more skilled in accessing and using regulation tools (requiring problem solving, planning and goal-directed persistence) to manage their feelings.”

Key Features and Benefits

Based on my parenting of and in working with kids social/emotional struggles, the key features and benefits are as follows:

• Designed for children 4 and up. Can be used with older children and young adults with cognitive impairments.
• A logical and systematic presentation of the issue to addres, followed by explanation of and practice with “tools”
  with which to manage the unregulated social/emotional behaviors. The first element addressed is the labeling and recognition of unregulated emotions and behaviors.  This is followed by teaching higher-level thinking and teaching various tools to manage those emotions and behaviors.
• Utilizes “co-regulation” by parents, teachers, and caregivers in explicitly modeling regulation.
• Use of visual supports in teaching the concepts and for use by the child.
• Easy for parents to implement.
• Offers a specific vocabulary a parent can share with teachers for use in the classroom.

Test Drive The Curriculum

If you are interested in taking this framework and curriculum for a “test drive”, they offer “Three Summer Tips” as follows.

Three Summer Tips Offered by The Zones of Regulation

For many families, summer brings more freedom and fun, but it can also bring unique emotional regulation challenges at home. Without the structure of school, kids can struggle with boredom, managing chaotic schedules, and unexpected transitions. That’s not a problem to solve; it’s a reality to plan for. Dysregulation is part of being human. The goal isn’t to prevent it, but to help kids recognize and respond to it.

Here are three simple, supportive ways to help your child build emotional awareness and regulation skills this summer.

1. It’s Not About “Fixing” Feelings

When kids are feeling overwhelmed, it’s natural to want to make it stop. But trying to fix the feeling can backfire. What helps most is your calm presence and willingness to stay with them through it. Regulation isn’t about snapping out of a feeling, it’s about learning how to move through the feeling. Try saying:

• “I can see you’re having a hard time. I’m here.”
• “That’s a big feeling. Let’s sit with it together.”
• “It’s okay to feel bored AND I’m confident you can find something to do.”

Being there with your child in a moment of stress helps settle their nervous system and models co-regulation, a key step before self-regulation can take root. After the wave of emotions passes, you can process the cause of the feelings (what we call triggers and sparks) and make a regulation plan for next time.

2. Encourage Emotional Communication

All emotions (and Zones) are okay. Kids thrive when we treat feelings like signals, not problems. Naming and accepting our feelings is a regulation strategy in and of itself. Give kids a chance to identify their feelings, using your observations as a starting point:

Try saying:

• “I notice your body is moving fast. What Zone do you think you’re in?”
• “You’ve been really quiet today. Want to check in and talk about your Zone?”

Helping kids connect language to their inner experiences builds emotional literacy and helps reduce the shame or confusion that often comes with big emotions. Visual supports can be especially powerful, giving children of all ages tools to better process their feelings and communicate—even when words are hard to find.

Here is a free Zones Visual to use at home.

3. Offer Choices

When kids are dysregulated, giving them structured choices can make all the difference. It offers a sense of control and communicates trust. Instead of focusing on the behavior, guide them toward options that support regulation.

Try saying:

• “I wonder if a tool might help. Would it help to use a fidget or listen to music for a few minutes?
• “I’m going to take some deep breaths to help me care for my Zone. Do you want to try a tool too?”

Over time, these options become part of your child’s regulation toolbox, a set of strategies they can draw upon as they problem-solve their feelings. Reinforcing kids’ efforts to use a strategy—even if it doesn’t work perfectly—helps build their confidence and supports growth in emotional regulation.

Evidenced Based Research Supporting The Curriculum

The evidenced-based research supporting the validity of their curriculum lists studies that:

Trauma-related social/emotional learning identified core components of predictability, supportive language, and co-regulation to create safe environments for learning.

Culturally responsive practices require respect for a student’s history and beliefs.

Universal design for learning stresses optimal learning through various options for engaging with the curriculum’s content, to understand the content and to demonstrate practical use of the content.

Evidence-based research supporting the effectiveness of The Zones of Regulation listed 12 studies.  Findings revealed:

Teachers reported that the use of the curriculum is practical, understandable, and easy to implement. 

Six studies found positive outcomes based on the teacher’s perceptions of the curriculum and in their student’s self-regulation skills.  The sample size was small, making generalization to most students limited.

Positive outcomes will need the on-going practice versus just completion of the course paired with other supports specific to the child’s needs.

Consistent across studies is the importance of the teachers, students, and parents using the same color-coded vocabulary. Visual support moves the challenge of developing self-regulation skills from just a confrontation to a teaching moment.  In a moment of inappropriate behavior, saying “I see you’re in the yellow zone, what tools can you use to get this task finished?”  instead of “Stop talking and fidgeting!” makes more sense.

The research validating the significant improvement of self-regulation in students of all sorts is weak.

No product is perfect or perfect for everyone.  The following pros and cons as I see it.

Recommended use for:

• Parents of children in public schools that do not use any Social Emotional Learning program in their curriculum.
• Parents who homeschool their children.
• Parents who are willing to use their own wisdom and take the parts and pieces of the curriculum tailoring it to their unique child.
• Children who are elementary-aged or with the cognitive skills of an elementary-aged person.
• Most important in the use of any system to explicitly teach social/emotional skills and executive functioning: that the child has a positive relationship with a caring adult.

Pricing for an Individual

The Zones of Regulation Digital Curriculum Annual Subscription is $144.00.

This includes a one-hour training and all the slide presentations, videos, visual supports, digital games and on and off-screen activities.

You can request a sample lesson by completing this form.

Conclusion

If you struggle with finding strategies to help your child manage impulsivity, outbursts, social isolation, attention and concentration to tasks, and inordinate reactions to situations, then 

The Zones of Regulation is a curriculum worthy of your consideration.

It offers both sample lessons and a blog post titled “Emotional Regulation for Kids this Summer: 3 Tips for parents and caregivers” to help you decide if this would work for you and your child(ren).

The research documenting the effectiveness of this curriculum for children diagnosed with specific impairments or across the broad board of children with learning differences, the approaches used in it are based on sound research of neuroscience, developmental psychology, social-emotional learning, and mental and behavioral health.

So, this was my review of The Zones of Regulation. 

I would love to know if you have used it.

What are your impressions? 

Did you find it useful for your child(ren)?

Have you used any other similar program or curriculum?

Disclaimer: This blog post was based on my use with my son on the Autism Spectrum and students on my caseload as a public and private school Speech-Language Pathologist. I am not affiliated with, nor has it been authorized, sponsored, or otherwise approved by Think Social Publishing, Inc. or by Leah Kuypers, author of The Zones of Regulation.